Artist: Susan Outlaw
Medium: Oil
Dimensions: 36''x 48''

Bidding on this artwork will take place at the Live Auction event, Friday, April 4. Tickets available at the link at dvsa.ca. Absentee bids can also be placed in advance – request a form at the school office or email bid@dvsa.ca.

About This Piece
This painting was inspired by the little island of Staffa which lies about ten kilometers west from the Isle of Mull off Scotland. It is a completely uninhabited island with the exception of cormorants, puffins and gulls.

I continue to explore the oceans metaphoric ties to human life in my paintings. “The Sea of Staffa” explores the beauty of troubled waters and the uncertainty of turbulent waves close to a jagged and rocky shore. The sky is grey, not foreboding but neither bright blue, offering a sign of optimism. A storm seems to be looming.

I am attracted to ocean themes void of human presence so that the focus stays on the waters and the emotions they arouse. I want the viewer to feel that they are there, present amongst the waves.

Biography
Born is Mainz, Germany, Susan Outlaw is a Canadian realist painter with a background in commercial design. Outlaw worked for years as an art director for a noted advertising firm in Burlington. She changed direction in 2021 to devote time to a growing family and return to her original passion – painting.

Susan’s work can be found in various private and corporate collections throughout Canada and the United States. International sales include the prestigious 47 Park Place Hotel in London, England. Outlaw has received multiple awards for her work, including the Ontario Arts Council.

Many of Outlaw’s paintings are a response to a scene that has moved her in an emotional or spiritual way. “My work maintains a contemplative focus on nature and its restorative, rejuvenating power. Urban dynamics, oppressive commutes, and the hectic pace of life threaten our spiritual and emotional health. I want to offer the viewer an escape, a moment of reflection, and a return to peace and balance."

Susan has donated her paintings to such causes as UNICEF Canada, St. Joseph’s Villa Foundation, Dundas Valley School of Art Auctions and Ryan’s Rays to name a few.